Sports / Recreation

Rams score big in NCAA graduation report

CSU, for the fifth consecutive year, leads the Mountain West Conference in graduation rates for student-athletes.

The NCAA recently released data documenting graduation rates for all NCAA Division I colleges and universities. CSU finished ahead of most of its peer universities and thenational average.

“We’ve very proud of our track record, our academic staff and our student-athletes when it comes to graduation rates,” CSU Director of Athletics Paul Kowalczyk said. “Everyone here understands the importance of getting a degree. It’s a point of emphasis and expectation for our student-athletes, and our coaches do a great job of recruiting kids with character who want to get a degree.”

The NCAA released figures based on graduation success for scholarship student-athletes and the overall student body for those who enrolled in 2004-05.

75 percent graduation rate

CSU graduated 75 percent of the student-athletes who enrolled in 2004-05, compared to 64percent of the overall student population.

The overall graduation rate for all NCAA Division I institutions is 65percent for student-athletes and 63 percent for the overall student body. The average rate for the Mountain West is 62 percent for both student-athletes and the student body.

CSU fares well vs. peer schools

In addition to leading the Mountain West,CSU finished ahead of schools such as the University of Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas State, Michigan State, North Carolina State, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Texas A&M and Washington State in student-athlete graduation rate.

Kowalczyk said he remains committed to helping all of CSU’s approximately 360 student-athletes graduate. CSU last year opened the Anderson Academic Center adjacent to the McGraw Athletic Center, and added a full-time academic counselor to the athletic department staff.

“Facilities are extremely important when talking about the long-term success of the program,” Kowalczyk said. “But what matters most is the overriding culture and philosophy of the athletic department as it applies to helping student-athletes graduate. When you have all three – culture, staff and facilities – you have a truly successful and winning combination.”